Naked Places: researching the history of a location before the humans came - by Janet Few

Much of history is about people and their actions but people live in places and that geographical context impacted on their lives, making it a valid subject for investigation. Local historians study inhabited places and perhaps the gaps in between but why are those people there? What made the original settlers decide to set up home in this place, rather than that place? What was there about that particular location that turned it from an uninhabited landscape into a settlement? If we are interested in the history of a community, we need to strip back the layers to look at the bare bones of the place, before the people, before the families and before the built heritage. Imagine early potential settlers viewing the possibilities of a site as somewhere to begin to create a community. What did they need? Firstly, relatively accessible building materials, in order to create shelters. A source of food was essential both for themselves but also for livestock. Equally, a nearby supply of water and fuel would have been essential. Another consideration would be safety, was this a site that could be easily defended? To a lesser extent, accessibility was a consideration. How easy would it be to come and go?

The underlying geology is relevant. Early settlement, as opposed to temporary, nomadic habitation, means farmers; the nature of the soil is key to what might, or might not, grow well. Consider what building materials might have been available, remembering that building materials are often very difficult to transport. Is there local stone, or wood? Many places are now deforested, compared to the past. The size and composition of our woodlands has changed over time. It is likely that early settlers would have found a much better supply of native trees than the current landscape suggests.

Fresh water is essential to drink, to irrigate crops and to rear livestock. Where are the rivers, lakes, ponds, streams and springs?. Rivers silt up and change their course, lakes can be man-made, so the historic availability of water could be different from more recent water supplies. Water is also a key method of transportation and of course, this can also be salt water, so coasts are relevant here.

The climate is another significant factor, again we need to take account of changing weather patterns. Was this an area that was suitable for growing crops? Would early settlers have been likely to have had drought, floods or extremes of temperature to contend with? Terrain is also important for building and farming potential, it is difficult to do either on very steep ground.

What about defence? In this respect, a steep slope might be beneficial. How could those living at a particular site have protected themselves from enemies? Spotting potential intruders before they got too close was an advantage, as was a site that might appear impressive and impenetrable to enemies. Concealment in a situation, such as a hollow, that might make a settlement escape notice, could be an alternative method of protection. Take into account how easy it might have been to defend a particular location. Accessibility is a double-edged sword, as inhabitants needed to be able to come and go but that very accessibility could be an invitation for potential invaders.

Study a location in terms of what food it might provide. What native animals and birds might have been hunted? Consider the aquatic environment; water courses and the sea are sources of food too and it is likely that freshwater fish would be eaten in significant quantities. Take into account the fact that a number of native wild animals of the past are now extinct, or at least do not survive in a particular location in the way that they might have in earlier centuries. Plants, bushes and trees are all potential food sources, both for humans and livestock. What native plants and trees might have grown wild in your place of interest in centuries gone by? The names of places, landmarks, and geographical features sometimes indicate what might have been found in the way of flora and fauna.

Devoid of humans your ‘naked’ place might have still more to offer potential settlers. What about the raw materials? This goes beyond building materials. What other resources could settlers use? Was there coal, iron or other minerals that could be exploited? Salt was very valuable, so is there a salt pan nearby. What is available to the inhabitants for fuel? In the absence of much wood or any coal, was there peat or furze? Maps can provide clues about the resources that might have been utilised.

As we study the history of the human race, it is important to set those people within the context of their community and that includes the ‘naked’ landscape, the place before the humans came. By doing so, as we add people to the place, we have a better understanding of why they are there.

Thockrington, Northumberland © Janet Few